Wenger admits having to play football matches is a problem for Arsenal

Arsene Wenger told the press after his side’s latest defeat that playing games has caused his team problems recently.

“I can understand the frustration,” Wenger said. “The League Cup situated in the middle of the season is always difficult when you don’t win it.

“It brings a lot of negativity.

“On top of that the game rearranged on Thursday night didn’t help us to compete today.”

Let’s not forget that during the match against Manchester City on Thursday night, despite being comprehensively beaten with plenty of time left on the clock, Wenger decided not to make a single substitution with the game against Brighton in mind.

He had it within his power to remove some of the burden from players’ legs and give them a rest.

He did not take it.

Arsenal have also been playing on a Thursday and then again on a Sunday for the entire season. That is their punishment for Champions League qualification failure.

I mentioned in a post when we qualified from the group stages of the Europa League that we would be in real trouble when the knock-out stages came around because we were already very poor despite being able to play two different teams in the Europa and Premier League.

In the knock-out stages, just like in the final of the League Cup, that is no longer an option and we have to rely on players who have proven themselves incapable of coping with one match a week.